Watchguard Network Security Practice Test

Which command should be executed to check device connectivity to an external IP address?

1. Ping

2. Traceroute

3. Telnet

4. Query

The correct answer is: Ping

Using the ping command is the most straightforward way to check the connectivity of a device to an external IP address. When executed, ping sends Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) Echo Request messages to the specified IP address and listens for Echo Reply messages. This helps determine whether the target IP is reachable and provides information about the round-trip time for messages sent and received, allowing users to assess network latency and reliability. In contrast, other commands serve different purposes: traceroute is useful for mapping the path packets take to reach an external IP and can indicate where delays or losses occur along that path, but it doesn't simply check if the destination is reachable. Telnet is generally used to initiate a session on a remote server for various protocols but is not primarily for checking basic connectivity. The term "query" is too vague and not a standard command related to connectivity checks. Thus, ping is specifically designed for this purpose, making it the most suitable choice for determining device connectivity to an external IP address.